The US on Thursday accused the Kremlin of an elaborate plot to fabricate an attack by Ukrainian forces that Russia could use as a pretext to take military action against its neighbor, The Associated Press reported.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the scheme included production of a graphic propaganda video that would show staged explosions and use corpses and actors depicting grieving mourners.
The US has not provided detailed information backing up the claims.
The plan for a fake attack on Russian territory or Russian-speaking people was described in declassified intelligence shared with Ukrainian officials and European allies in recent days, according to AP. It was the latest example of the Biden administration divulging intelligence findings as a tactic to attempt to stop Russian disinformation efforts and foil what it says is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s effort to lay the groundwork for military action.
“We’ve seen these kinds of activity by the Russians in the past, and we believe it’s important when we see it like this and we can, to call it out,” Kirby was quoted as having told reporters at the Pentagon.
The US said the new intelligence indicates that the Russians would stage military equipment used by Ukraine, including a key weapon supplied by Turkey, to bolster the credibility of a fake attack.
Russia would possibly use Turkish-made Bayraktar drones as part of the fake operation, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Russia has in recent weeks amassed an estimated 100,000 troops near Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden warned Ukraine's President last week that there is a "distinct possibility" Russia could take military action against Ukraine in February.
Last Friday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has the capability to launch a military offensive against Ukraine, as he called on Russia to stand down on Ukraine.
In a briefing with reporters, Austin said Moscow has for months been deploying forces along Ukraine’s border at a “consistent and steady pace.”
“We don't believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine,” Austin added.
He noted that conflict was not inevitable, adding that there was still time for diplomacy. He said the US remains in “lockstep” with its NATO allies and has “offered Russia a path away from crisis and toward greater security.
Biden has warned Putin that an attack on Ukraine would be met with severe economic consequences for Moscow.
The US President said last week that he would consider personally sanctioning Putin if Russia invades Ukraine.
On Sunday, US lawmakers said they are confident they can pass a sanctions package against Russia which Senator Bob Menendez described as "the mother of all sanctions".